I am a storyteller and like most storytellers, I like to start at the beginning. My formative years have always been the inspiration for my artwork. I grew up on a farm right here in Northeast Kansas, just 3 miles west of Lancaster. I learned a lot about work ethic and the contradictions of rural life, like blurred gender roles, growth and decay, celebration and misfortune, and the restoration of the well-loved. Ideas of resilience, adaptation, tradition, community, and preservation also sank deep into the fibers of my being. And if you are from around here, you know that there are places where the sky is big, the horizon line is endless, and the views of fields, pastures, and farmsteads are plentiful. When I moved to Mississippi in 2012, the views changed, and holding on to the place and the people that shaped me became more important than ever. 

 

This shift in perspective changed my work, solidifying personal and place identity as the overall themes of the stories I tell. And while there is much truth in these narratives, many times it is exaggerated or embellished to construct unbelievable depictions of real life. To illustrate my stories, I use recognizable imagery, mundane items, and daily activities as a starting point, altering them to create objects and spaces that include every last detail. The physical creation of my work is done using a variety of materials and processes, which are chosen for how they will enhance the concept, symbolism, or visual features of the work. Relating to the long-winded telling of a story, I am most drawn to materials that require a great deal of time and effort to transform, like cast iron and forged steel. The materials I use also relate to childhood pastimes, both on the farm and in the home, such as welded steel, reclaimed wood, dirt, fabrics, found objects, and collections.

 

The purpose of this artwork is to give permanence to memory, recognition to a blue-collar way of living, and provide you, the viewer, with the opportunity to experience moments from my life that have shaped me. Through the interactions with my work, I hope to evoke feelings of curiosity, amusement, and a sense of nostalgia, creating a relationship with the viewer. First shown in Mississippi in 2015 as my master’s thesis, this work brought a bit of Kansas to the South. I am now honored to bring this work back home, reimagining the concepts and artworks in this space. Whether you find commonalities from your own childhood within this experience, or feel a disconnect, causing you to long for a more familiar place, you join me on a journey back home. After all, there is no place like it.